Dr. Khanna — who helped publish a road map for resuming elective surgeries for the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery — said two of the key pillars for the safe return to normal operations are telehealth adoption and surgery center utilization.
In a blog post for Munster, Ind.-based Spine Care Specialists, Dr. Khanna explained why these elements are essential:
1. Telehealth adoption. “Telehealth provides a convenient and efficient system for interaction between physicians and patients. It also enables physicians to maintain close contact with patients while avoiding one-on-one in-person interactions, avoiding long drives and crowded waiting rooms. There will always be a role for in-person doctor visits, but a hybrid model seems to be the best solution in navigating the new COVID world.”
2. Use of freestanding surgery centers. “Surgery centers have always been a safe and efficient model for healthcare delivery. Operating rooms have implemented special precautions above and beyond the standard surface cleaning guidelines by the CDC and AORN. Typically run with a smaller staff, the centers allow for social distancing precautions as well as eliminate the proximity of an emergency room or ICU with COVID-sick patients. Clinical results demonstrate extremely low complication rates for outpatient surgeries — lumbar fusion, cervical disc replacements, [sacroiliac] joint fusion. Additionally, the surgery center allows for near complete control of the clinical pathway from check-in to discharge.”
More articles on surgery centers:
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